October 2015

October 28, 2015

It will be November in a few days and thoughts will shortly be turning to family gatherings at Thanksgiving. Most of us have a lot to be thankful for. On 11/1, we turn back the clock as Daylight Savings Time ends. Some soldiers wish they could turn back the clock and be whole again, mentally and physically. Hopefully, we don't just think of them briefly two weeks from today on November 11th, Veterans Day. There will be parades and ceremonies and some restaurants will be offering free meals to veterans, as well as to those on active duty. These things are all good but by themselves don't solve the problems faced by our veterans.

Since 1973 when the military draft ended, the youth of America has not had to delay getting on with their future by spending two years in the military. The all volunteer military has met our war related challenges. Although the war in Afghanistan appears to be winding down, this doesn't mean that everything is fine with the military. Largely as a result of multiple tours of duty in combat areas during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, in addition to loss of limbs, etc. which require extensive physical rehab, we still have many veterans trying to cope with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

If you ask anyone if they support the troops, it's highly likely that 99% will say yes. If you were able to see how many gave more than lip service, the percentage would most likely be a lot lower. Granted there are many who are unable to contribute financially and then there are those who have volunteered their time to help disabled veterans. It's certainly possible that the thought of giving to an organization supporting disabled veterans just hasn't occurred to many of our citizens.

Here are two of the best known organizations you can contribute to:

Disabled American Veterans - www.dav.org

Wounded Warrior Project - www.woundedwarriorproject.org

These are not the only worthy organizations. Before giving to any organization claiming to aid veterans (or any other charity), you should check them out on www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/national to make sure they're legitimate. To be accredited by the BBB (Better Business Bureau), a charity has to meet 20 standards for charity accountability. The Disabled American Veterans and Wounded Warrior Project have met these standards. Don't assume that all well known charities meet the standards of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance.

I didn't receive any comments on my post for Veterans Day in 2014. I'm sure that doesn't mean that no one felt that veterans deserve our support. It probably just means that no one reads this blog.